


Ices & Blushes

by mavisbluemoon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Awkwardness, Best Friends, Blushing, Crush, Fluff, I hope, Ice Cream, M/M, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 01:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14945111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mavisbluemoon/pseuds/mavisbluemoon
Summary: Every summer, Albus and his family return to the same village at the seaside. Every summer, Albus goes on the grandest adventures with his best friend, Scorpius. This summer could be the start of the grandest adventure of all, if only Albus could stop blushing.





	Ices & Blushes

**Author's Note:**

> First story! Yay! I'm really excited to share this little Muggle AU, it's just a light-hearted story about realising something you should have noticed all along. This may or may not have been inspired by events in real life!

Every summer, for as long as Albus can remember, his family returned to the same little beach house. He never really minded going to the same place every year and he was barely jealous of his classmates who got to travel to faraway, exotic places. He liked vacations in the squat house near the sea very much because it was where he had met Scorpius. Scorpius lived in the big house just outside the village and every summer they met up and had grand adventures. They loved to go and explore the beaches together, pretending to encounter aliens or to tame dragons, imagining turning time back- or forwards. Scorpius was one of the reasons, if not the only reason, Albus enjoyed these family vacations so much.

Last year, however, Scorpius had never shown up at their meeting spot, near the small pier at the end of the boulevard. Perhaps he had thought they were too old now for these games? They were, after all, 15 now.That summer Albus stayed inside, his headphones firmly stuck to his ears, window shutters closed to block out the sun. After one week, Lily - thoroughly fed up with Albus’ moping and sorely missing her brother’s company – asked around in the village, only to learn that Scorpius was spending the summer in France, with his grandparents. It would be too much of a stretch to say that Albus perked up at this news but at least he now accompanied his sister to the beach and to ice cream raids in the village.

This year Albus was hopeful, telling himself that it was unlikely that Scorpius would be in France again. Hopeful that he’d get to spend three glorious weeks with his friend. As tradition dictated, as soon as the Potters had unloaded the car, they strolled down to the village centre for ice cream. Even though it was quite late, the queue was so long that they could not yet see the different ice cream flavours on display. The Potters joined the queue: James and their Dad bickering about last year’s special flavours, their Mum and Lily making up the grossest flavours possible ( _mayonnaise flavour, really Mum it exists, I’ve seen it facebook_ ). Albus did not join the flavour-discussions because he always got the same: strawberry and pistachio. Just like Scorpius. He really hoped he’d get to see his friend tomorrow, Albus had brought a waveboard that he wanted to try out together. The queue moved up a little, they could finally see this year’s special flavours. “Mojito! Dad that’s great!” “I don’t know Jamie, don’t want you to start the holidays with a hangover!” “Come on, Dad, it’s not like there’s actually alcohol in it!” The queue moved up a little more and that’s when Albus saw it.

Saw him.

Scorpius.

But not just Scorpius. A Scorpius who had grown at least 15 centimetres and whose hair was longer than Albus ever remembered seeing it. A Scorpius whose jaw seemed broader, more defined and whose eyes twinkled playfully as he jested with a customer Albus’ feet were frozen to the ground. The Potters had arrived to the front of the queue. Lily stepped up to the counter but he didn’t hear a word she said. Scorpius was selling ice cream? James and Harry ordered. Scorpius was taller than him? Ginny threw him a funny look before greeting Scorpius and ordering as well. Scorpius’ upper arms bulged as he scooped out ice cream. Albus blushed so hard he was sure it was visible even on his dark skin. Scorpius … “Hi Albus! What can I get you?” Scorpius smiled broadly but Albus could not seem to find his voice. “He’ll get strawberry and pistachio, like al-ways” Lily piped up. “Oh yeah, of course” Scorpius mumbled, the tips of his ears slightly pink. Albus mustered an anxious smile before fixing his eyes to the ground, determined to have it open up and swallow him whole.

At night Albus lay awake for a long time, imagining what he should have said (“Hi Scorp, so nice to see you!” or “Do I get best-summer-friend-discount?” or “I don’t need ice cream, I’d just like to have you!”). So when he woke up and hurried to the pier but it was already past 11 o’clock and Scorpius wasn’t there. Albus waited, slowly getting burnt by the blazing sun. Watching the tide rise until it nearly touched his toes. Shoulders hunched up, Albus returned to the summer house. Scorpius probably didn’t want to hang out any more with him. Especially not after that incredibly awkward display from yesterday. Albus dropped down on one of the patio chairs, arm over his head when his Mum came out of the house, carrying a mug of tea. “He’s probably already started working, Al.” “How do you know?” Albus muttered. “Because they open at eleven, love.” “I could get ice cream this afternoon then.” “That’s the spirit!” Ginny winked “Go and join your brother and sister on the beach, they can use a third man for beach volley.”

In the afternoon Albus and Lily went into the village to get ice cream. It’s again Scorpius who’s standing behind the counter and he looked even more stunning than the day before. When it was their turn to order, Albus just managed to croak “pistachio and strawberry” when Scorpius’ bright eyes and brighter smile zoomed in on him. He hurried away as soon as he’s received the cone, face bright red, leaving Lily to pay for the both of them. The next couple of days followed the same pattern: in the morning Albus goes to Scorpius’ and his meeting spot but Scorpius is never there. Albus knows Scorpius won’t be there because Albus never arrives before 11 o’clock, too afraid to actually face Scorpius. He knows he’s being a coward, but he cannot just face Scorpius like that. Not when he’s blatantly ignored Scorpius at the ice cream shop. Not when Scorpius is looking like that. He needed a plan. And a good opening sentence. Something casual. And cool. Smooth.

So each morning he devised a (new) plan. Each afternoon he pressured Lily into accompanying him to get ice cream. And each time he failed to carry out the plan. A whole week passed and Albus still hadn’t talked to Scorpius, apart from a squeaky “strawberry and pistachio”.

Friday evening James and Lily both accompany Albus to the ice cream place. While they’re waiting, James’ voice boomed over the crowd’s noise “I didn’t know you liked ice cream that much, Al! You’ve been here every day! And you get the same flavours ever time!” Lily rolled her eyes and said “It’s cause he’s got a crush on Scorpius, the ice cream boy.” “No I don’t!” Albus gnashed out. “Oh, but you do like him, don’t you, Al?” James grinned. “He sure does and it’s not just cause he’s selling ice cream,” Lily added. “So that’s why you’ve been so awkward around him!” James said, loudly. Albus tried to shush him but James is utterly incapable of whispering. “But why? I mean you’ve known him since forever!”

They’d almost reached the till and Scorpius was now definitely within hearing distance. James grinned deviously and started humming voulez-vous coucher avec moi. Albus felt his face heat up and tried to distance himself from his siblings. His courage sank again. He was never going to be able to just speak normally to Scorpius. Lily was the first to order and James had now progressed to a top-of-his-lungs, full-out rendition Can you feel the love tonight. Albus now really felt his face heat up.

This was impossible.

When it was his turn to order, Albus opened his mouth and gaped … Scorpius’ smile … “What can I get you, Albus?” Albus’d completely lost control over his voice. Scorpius had said his name. “Another pistachio-strawberry cone?” This couldn’t be happening, he had to step up! “NO!” Albus nearly shouted. Scorpius jumped a little, “No? I thought you always have it so, I’m sorry.” “no, no, no sorry” This was getting ridiculous, Scorpius would never want to speak to him anymore. “Sorbet, I’d like sorbet!” Albus said. Scorpius looks helplessly at the ten different sorbet flavours on display. Albus knew his face was probably so red that it could double as a traffic light. “Raspberry,” he managed. Scorpius gave him another dazzling smile but Albus doesn’t notice, to busy cursing himself for his utter stupidity.

Later that evening, Albus was lying on the slightly damp wood of the pier. He’d watched the sun go down and was starting to get cold. He needed to return to the cottage but wanted to make sure that everyone was asleep before doing so, not interested in talking about why his eyes were so red. Or more ribbing from James. Maybe he could sleep here. Albus was slowly drifting off when he heard a soft voice ask “Hi, are you okay?” “Nope.” “Oh,” the voice sounded sad, “can I help you somehow?” “Don’t think so. Unless you know a cure for bumbling idiots syndrome.”

Albus heard a tiny sigh and then: “Well, I’ll leave you then.” “No, not you! Me!” Albus groaned. “I can’t even order a fucking ice cream without … argh he’s just too cute!” Albus threw his hands in the air, finally looking at the stranger with the kind voice. “Scorpius!” Albus clamped a hand over his own mouth, physically preventing himself from speaking.

Scorpius smiled dazzingly “I also think you’re cute.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you've liked the story, don't be shy to tell me! If there's something you didn't enjoy (or if you spotted typos/grammatical errors) let me know too!  
> You can also find me on tumblr @mavis-bluemoon.


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